


My Life's Better (Without You)

by HappyJuicyfruit



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: First Dates, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Sterek Week 2018, Stiles Stilinski Has a Crush on Derek Hale, Warning: Kate Argent, not between Stiles and Derek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-08 02:41:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16420835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HappyJuicyfruit/pseuds/HappyJuicyfruit
Summary: After years of dating Kate, Derek is done. He’s done with being cheated on. Done with being treated like dirt. So he breaks up with her for good, and moves on to better and brighter things.Those better and brighter things being one Stiles Stilinski.





	My Life's Better (Without You)

**Author's Note:**

> Sterek week day 2 - Lyrics 
> 
> Based on the song: Attention by Charlie Puth (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZEpfswmdXE) 
> 
> You just want attention, you don't want my heart  
> Maybe you just hate the thought of me with someone new  
> Yeah, you just want attention, I knew from the start  
> You're just making sure I'm never gettin' over you
> 
> But don't worry, Stiles wants more than Derek's attention ;)

Derek didn’t know why it took him so long to figure it out. Honestly, people have been telling him the root of all of his problems for years, he just never listened. Never fully realized how deep their problems ran. He was listening now though. He was actually paying attention now - and he was sick of it. 

 

Kate Argent had ruined his life for the last time. 

 

They’re little dance of on again off again that they had been doing since high school was over. He was sick of her cheating on him when she thought he wasn’t looking, and he was tired of being blamed for flirting with other girls when all he was doing was talking to his friends. Kate had had him twirled around her finger for so long, Derek hadn’t even seen her toxic ways until she had finally done something that made him snap. 

 

Finding her sleeping in  _ his _ bed with one of  _ his _ coworkers? Kate had her own damn apartment, why were they at Derek’s place!? Derek did not know, and he didn’t listen to her weak excuses either. He had taken his key back, and thrown her and Matt out. This was it, they were done. Finished. The door was shut and buried. 

 

He was never going to get back together with Kate for as long as he lived. 

 

… or at least, as long as he had the willpower to hold her off. 

 

\-- 

 

“Oh my God, finally!” Stiles cheered, “that woman was so not good enough for you, you deserve  _ way _ better. This is the best news I’ve heard all week!” 

 

Derek blinked in surprise.. That was not the reaction most people had when they heard about their friends break up. All he could do was look at his coworker with slight amusement as he continued to cheer for Derek’s return to being single. 

 

His slight amusement bloomed into full on amusement when Stiles seemed to realize what he had said and turned beat red, “not that- oh jeez, I mean, sorry. That must have sucked for you, man. And it’s not like I think you would be better with anyone else in particular. Like I don’t have anyone else in mind! Or anything! Just, uh, I think maybe.. You will be happier without her around ruining your life.” Stiles finished, blushing like a lobster. 

 

Derek took pity on him, “it’s fine, you’re right. I’m already happier without her. I feel like I was over her a long time ago, I just needed the push to actually break things off for good.” 

 

Stiles perked up again, “soo.. you think you’re already ready to move on?”

 

Derek shrugged, “yeah, if it was the right person.” 

 

Stiles beamed at him, “good, I’m glad to hear it.” 

 

They smiled at each other for a minute, before Derek awkwardly shifted and looked down at the paperwork at his desk. “So, anyway..” 

 

“Right! Sorry. I originally came over because Lydia wants your folder for the Johnson case.” 

 

Derek nodded, turning to riffle through his folders. Stiles leaned against his desk to wait, and when Derek turned around, Stiles didn’t even pretend to act like he hadn’t been checking Derek out. Derek faltered, but Stiles easily pulled the folder out of his hands. 

 

“Thanks, Derek. Maybe I’ll see you tonight at the bar?” Stiles slipped the pages under his arm, smiling at Derek in a way that he had never seen Stiles smile before. Almost.. Flirtatious? Derek wasn’t sure, but he thought he might like it. 

 

“Yeah, I’ll try to stop by for a drink.” 

 

“Make sure that you do, the drink will be on me,” Stiles said with a wink, before sauntering out of Derek’s office. Derek watched him go, his mouth hanging open. 

 

If this was life after Kate, he wasn’t ever going back. 

 

\-- 

 

Derek didn’t usually partake in the office’s weekly bar night. He was usually too busy taking Kate out on a date, or going to the gym to work out his anger for whatever Kate had done last. But tonight, Derek did stop by for one drink. One drink that turned into two, that turned into four. He had never spent so much time with Stiles outside of the office, and he was surprised to find that he was genuinely enjoying himself.  

 

If he had thought Stiles was funny before, he thought the man was hilarious now. Derek was laughing more than he could remember laughing for the past  _ year _ . The best part, though, was not Stiles jokes, but the little twinkle that Stiles got in his eye whenever he managed to make Derek laugh. Like he was making these jokes up just to see Derek smile, and it was making him just as happy as it was making Derek. 

 

When Stiles asked if he wanted to stay for a fifth round, Derek couldn’t help but say yes. 

 

“Hey, Derek?” Stiles asked halfway through their fifth round. His cheeks were a little red, and Derek was starting to wonder if Stiles should head home soon. 

 

He pushed that thought away for now though, “yeah?” 

 

“I want you to know that.. I know you only broke up with Kate yesterday, but.. I’m happy you’re here. With me. I’m happy that you’re laughing. I’m just.. I’m happy that you seem happy,” Stiles finished with a loopy smile. 

 

Derek smiled back, feeling a warmth in his chest he hadn’t felt in a long time. “Me too.” 

 

Stiles smile grew a little brighter, before suddenly sliding off of his face. He paled too, and Derek turned around to see what had made his friend (date?) so uncomfortable. Derek stiffened himself when he saw her. 

 

Kate was walking towards their table. She was wearing a tight dress Derek had never seen before, and her lips were lined in blood red. He was sure she was trying to go for sexy, but Derek saw her more as as a villain now. The outfit would be well suited for Cruella de Vil. 

 

“Derek, sweetheart,” Kate said as soon as she was in earshot, “we need to talk. There’s been a misunderstanding.” Kate reached out to touch him when she was close enough, but Derek moved away. 

 

“What do you want, Kate?” 

 

“To talk,” Kate pouted when Derek moved out of her reach again, “come on, Derek. We’ve been together for years, are you going to let one little mistake come between us?” 

 

Derek didn’t say anything. He was kind of hoping if he didn’t ever say anything, she would leave on her own. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to work out. As soon as it became clear Derek wasn’t going to talk to her, Kate turned on Stiles. 

 

“Who are you, anyway?” Kate said snidely, “that twink from his office he’s always talking about? Derek might like to share a bed with a man every now and then, but he would never like someone like  _ you _ . You’re too scrawny and pale to-” 

 

Derek grabbed her arm, dragging her away. He didn’t stop until they were outside of the bar. 

 

“Go away, Kate. We’re over. You shouldn’t have come here.” Derek said, pushing her towards the sidewalk. If he had his way, that would be the last time they touched. 

 

He didn’t have it his way. Kate had barely walked one step before she was turning around and flinging herself at his chest. She splayed her hands there, and Derek rolled his eyes. She always did like to go for drama. 

 

“Derek, please. I love you. I made a mistake, we can make this work! Like we always have!” 

 

Derek sighed. This was it. This was when he always caved and let her back in but… Derek turned to look through the window. Stiles was still sitting at their table, staring down at his half empty cup with sadness. He probably didn’t think Derek would be coming back, and he looked heartbroken from just the idea of it. 

 

erek would much rather comfort a heartbroken Stiles than a whining Kate. He had always enjoyed spending time with Stiles more than Kate anyway. 

 

“You don’t love me, Kate. You love the attention I give you. The only reason you came over tonight was because you saw I was with Stiles, and you don’t want me to move on.” He gently pried her hands off of his chest, pushing her away. 

 

“That’s not true, Derek. I really do love you, you’re the love of my life!” Kate said. She even looked like she might burst into tears. Derek would feel bad for her, if he hadn’t already seen all of this before. Too many times to count. 

 

“You forget I know your little routine, Kate. You cheat on me, I break up with you, you give me a week or two to simmer down before crawling back. A few months go by and we repeat it all over again. So what happened this time, that you’re back here begging already? If it wasn’t seeing me happy with Stiles, than what was it? Matt break it off with you already?” 

 

“Derek, please-” 

 

“No, Kate. I am not the love of your life, and you are definitely not mine. I’m pretty sure mine is sitting in that bar right now, waiting for me,” Derek turned back to look in the window again, smiling when he saw Stiles was watching him. He turned back to Kate, “we’re finished, understand? For good.” 

 

Kate stumbled back a few steps. “This is it? It’s actually over this time?” 

 

“Yes, it is. Goodbye, Kate.” Derek turned away from her, not waiting for a reply. He didn’t know if she continued standing there watching him, or if she walked away in an angry huff. He didn’t know because he didn’t care. His eyes were only for Stiles. 

 

Stiles, who was watching him with amazement as he walked back to their table. 

 

“Hey-” Stiles started to say, but Derek swooped in and cut him off. Stiles lips were soft under his, and his surprised moan went straight to Derek’s cock. 

 

It took a lot of effort, but Derek managed to pull himself back a moment later. “Do you want to get out of here?” 

 

“This isn’t because of the whole thing between you and Kate, right?” Stiles asked breathlessly. “Cause, rebounding is healthy and all, but I don’t think I could handle it if-” 

 

Derek cut him off with a kiss again, softer this time. He raised a hand to swipe his thumb over Stiles cheek. 

 

“No, this is because of  _ you _ . And because I want to wake up tomorrow morning with you, and go to lunch tomorrow with you, and, if you let me, take you out to dinner tomorrow too. I want to get to know you, Stiles Stilinski. If you’ll let me.” 

 

Stiles gaped at him for a minute, then he was standing up and grabbing Derek’s hands. “Fuck yes, let’s get out of here.” 

 

Derek laughed as Stiles dragged him to the exit. He couldn’t wait to get to know this man better. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Leave a kudos or comment to let me know what you think :)


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